ArcaMax

Hardly anyone in the U.S. gets to go to sleep in a truly dark environment. The "World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness" says that 99% of us may have an increased risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even low sperm quality, because of outdoor light seeping into our bedrooms.

A 2024 study in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension found that folks who live (and sleep) in areas with the brightest night skies are at a 31% increased risk of having high blood pressure. And two other studies have found that bright nights up the risk of death from coronary artery disease by almost 30% and strokes and brain aneurysms by 17%. There's also mounting evidence that bright night skies increase the risk for breast cancer, Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's. Then consider how much sleep-disrupting digital/screen light pollution is inside your bedroom! Well, that should make a lightbulb go off in your brain: "Light at night is not a bright idea."

The health risks may come from disruption of your sleep-wake cycle and/or some yet-to-be-identified physiological change, but clearly, you want to get on the dark side of sleep.

-- Get screens and digital devices out of your bedroom.

-- Use light-blocking shades/blinds/curtains (maybe all three).

-- Wear an eye mask while you sleep.

-- Use red nightlights, so if you get up during the night you can navigate safely without disturbing your circadian rhythm.

For more tips, check out "How to Practice Good Sleep Habits + 3 Natural Products" at iHerb.com/blog.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.